Spindle construction



March .5, 1940- L. NENNlNGr-:R 2,192,856

SPINDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 5l, 1938 l@ 7 J0 4,/

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1940 srmnLE coNsrnUc'rIoN .Y

Lester F. Nenninger, Cincinnati, Ohio, assgnor to The Cincinnati Milling Machine Company, Cincinnati, 0h10, a corporation o! Ohio Application January 3l, 1938, Serial No.f187,804

' i claims. (ci. ca -11) f lihis invention relates to machine tools and moreparticularly to animproved spindle mounting assembly. One oi the objects of thls'invention is to im- 151 prove the manner of supporting the spindle of a milling machine so as to obtain .better stress conditions and thereby greater rigidity during power rotation thereof. Another object of this invention is to provide lo an improved bearing structure for a milling machine spindle whereby maximum spread between the pair of antifriction bearings which support the nose of the spindle may be obtained for a given thickness of supporting wall.

l5 A further object'of this invention is to improve the spindle assembly of a milling machine where-l by the driving members attached to the spindle may be brought into closer proximity to the supporting bearings and thereby minimize the bend- 2o ing stresses on the spindle during power actuation thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specineation considered in con- 25 junction with the accompanying drawing illustrative of one embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that any 'modifications may be made in the specific structural details within the scope of the appended claims without departing from to or exceeding the spirit or the invention.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference numerals indicate like or similar parts:

Figure l is a. sectional view through the column or a conventional mee and column type milling gg machine showing the spindle assembly mounted s therein. v e2 is a section through the bearing in the rontfwall showing the means for preloadine the bearing. y l W11 3 isa; detail section on the line of Figure ly showing the operating means for adjusting the preload'on the bearings.

It is a desideratum with respect to milling machine spindles that the driving torque be transat mittedto-the spindle with the least possible bending strain thereon, so that' the axial alignment oi the cutter will not `-be disturbed especially under heavy cuts: This invention deals with a. mcchanism'ior obtaining these desired results 50 by so arranging theparts that the disturbing lateral `forces are 'more-directly absorbed by the column rathery than being transmitted thereto through'the spindle.

llt is also -desirable, where antifriction beartt are used in pairs, to preload the bearings so as'to' prevent axial play in the spindle. In prior structure, this has been done ina manner which limited the spread or spacing between the bearings, and thereby limited the rigidity which would otherwise be obtainablev if the bearings 5 had a greater spacing. In addition, the conventionalmanner of obtaining the preload required that one of the'inner races be movable axially relative to the spindle thereby preventing a tight llt between the two. v The result under heavy 10 loads was a certain amount 'of relative circumferential creepage between the ,inner race and the spindle which caused crystallization of the metal and increased wear. VThis aggravated the condition and caused increased looseness of the l5 fit between the inner race and the spindle. In the present construction these deleterious results have been obviated by contrivlng a preloading mechanism which does not require relative movement between the inner races of either bearing, po andthe spindle.

A Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, the reference numeral llt indicates generally the column of a milling machine having a f ront wall il and a rear wall it. The iront wall Il has a bore it formed therein which is counterbored at It tu form a shoulder it. A tapered roller anti-friction bearing, indicated generally bbyjthe reference numeral it, ls mounted in the-borepwitnthe annular rib ll, formed on the end gthereohfin ento gagement with the shoulder l5 to'predetermine the position of the bearing. The bearinghas an' outer race member it, upon which the annular ange is formed; andan inner race member it which has a tight lit on the-journal portion iii' g5 with one end engaging the shoulder 2l oi the nose of the spindle ily' Itwillbe noted-that the shoulder il is in substantial alignmentwith the front face 2t of the wall lll.

The rear face it of the wall ll has a boss it go projectingtherefrom in which is formed a second bore it for receiving a second tapered'roller anti-A iriction bearing, indicated generally by the reference numeral 2l. This bearing has an outer race member it and an inner race member 29 which is an nxed'on the journal portion 30 of the spindle for rotation therewith. The spindle i2 has a tapered portion 3l upon which is keyeda drive gear 32. The hub of the drive gear engages the end of the inner race i9 of the bearing 2l. In order to insure do I that the drive gear is held in position on the tapered portion 3l, a locking nut 33 is threaded on the spindle into tight engagement with the end of the gear and held in position by avset screw 34. It will be noted that the drive gear has tu a depressed face next to the boss 25 whereby a portion of the teeth 36 of the gear lie beyond the plane of the face of the boss.

In order to prevent axialmovement or oscillation of the spindle, it is desirable that all looseness in the antifriction bearings be taken up, and therefore means have been provided for preloading the bearings. This is accomplished by providing a preloading member 31, which is threaded at 38 in a bore 39. This bore intercon-` nects the front and rear bores containing the' antifriction bearings. 'I'he preloading member is mounted within the wall oi the column and located between the antifrictlon bearings.

The preloading member has an annular face 40 which engages the end face of the outer race' member 28 of the antifriction bearing 21. By rotating the member 31 in one direction or the other, it will be vadvanced or retracted with .respect to the racemember 23. By rotating it in a direction to cause advance, endwise pressure can be applied on the race member 28 toward the left as viewed in Figure 2, which will be transmitted through the tapered rollers, the innerrace member 29, the drive gear 32, and the locking nut 33 to the spindle, which in turn will transmit the pressure through the inner race member I3 o'f vthe bearing I6 by virtue of its contact with shoulder 2l of the spindle, to the outer race member I3 through the antifriction rollers, and then through the shoulder I5 to the column. It will thus be apparent that the inner race members ot the antifriction bearings may now be tightly fitted .to the spindle.

When the preloading member 31 is rotated. it will move the' outer race member 23 relative to the wall of the bore 26 to eect preloading of the bearing. This -rotation is eiiected by a spiral worm 4I which interengages with spiral gear. teeth 42 formed on the periphery of the member 31. The spiral worm 4I is attached to the end of a shaft 43 which, as shown in Figure 3, is bearinged in a sleeve 44 and is provided with a hexagon vhead 45 to which a suitably formed socke wrench may be applied.

By means of this improved construction, it will be apparent that the application of a large driv'- ing force on the gear 33 will not cause deflection of the spindle 22 to any great degree, and furthermore that the antifriction bearings are spaced as wide as the thickness oi the column will permit, thereby affording better resistance to lateral deflection of the spindle; and that the inner race members of the antii'riction bearings may be tightly fitted to the spindle because no relative axial movement between them and the spindle is necessary for preloading purposes.

'Ihe other end of spindle 22 is supported in the rear wall I2 of the column on an antifrlction bearing indicated generally by the reference nu-i meral 46. The outside race member 41 of this bearing is ttedlto slide in a bore 48 formed in the rear wall concentric to the bores in the front wall so that it may move to compensate for expansionv and contraction'of the spindle. 'I'he inner races 49 and 50 are splined on the reduced portion 5I of the spindle, between a gear 52 which'is keyed to the spindle, and a clamping member 53 which is threaded on the spindle. 'I'he drive gear 52 ts against a shoulder 54 formed onl the spindle and the clamping member 53 is tightened to clamp y the inner races and the gear against the shoulder 54. By-1neans of this construction the gear 52 may b'e mounted `on the spindle very close to the rear. wall so that lateral forces developed in the gear during driving will be transmitted almost directly to the wall without causing deflection oi' the spindle. Also, by splining the inner races on the spindle, circumferential creepage is prevented.

'I'here lhas thus been provided an improved spindle bearing structure for a milling machine which permits of maximum spacing oi' the antlfriction bearings in the front wall of the column, thereby increasing the rigidity of the spindle and at the same time permitting the drive gears to be placed in close proximity to the faces oi the walls thereby reducing to a minimum any lateral bending of the spindle. during rotation vunder heavy cuts, whereby more accurate work may be pro-v duced.

What is claimed is:

l. In a milling machine having a column composed of front and rear walls, the combination-of means for supporting a spindle in the column in cluding a pair of antifriction bearings xe'd on the spindle and mounted in the front wall, the inner race of one oi said bearings engaging a shoulder on said spindle, and the outer race en gaging a fixed reference surface on said..` column. for locating the spindle endwise, abutment means carried by the spindle and engaging the inner race of the other bearing, and means interposed between said bearings within the wall of the column for exerting a pressure on. the outer race oi' the last named bearing which is transmitted through said abutment means and spindle to the inner race of the rst bearing for preloading said bearings, and simultaneously locating the axial position of the spindle with respect to the front wall of the column by means of said reference surface..

2. In a knee and column type milling machine. the combination of means for supporting a spine` dle in the opposing walls of the column, 'including a first pair of antii'riction bearings mounted in one wall, a second pair of antifriction bearings mounted in the other wall, drive gears mounted on the spindle adjacent the respective opposing walls, means holding said gears in abutting relation with the inner races of adjacent bearings, means to x the position oi' the bearings in one wall and thereby hold that end. of the spindle against axial movement, and means to support the bearings in the other wall for movement relative to the column to compensate for expansion and contraction of the spindle.

3. In a milling machine of the knee and column type and including front and rear structural walls, said walls having axially aligned bores therein, the combination of a spindle, means mounted in said bores `for supporting the spindle for rotation, including a pair of antii'riction bearing members mounted in the front wall, the first oi' said bearings having means engaging the column land the spindle for determining the axial positionthereof, a drive gear iixed with the spindle in adjacent relation to the inner faceof the wall, means for holding said second bearing in pressure contact with said gear to thereby eifect preloading of the bearings, additional antifriction bearing means mounted, in the bore in the vrear wall, a gear attached to the spindle adjacent the inner face of the rear wall, and means to clamp the last named bearing means in pressural en gagement with said drive gear to effect preloading of the bearing.

.4.. In a milling machine having a column including front and rear walls in which areformed axially aligned bores, the combination oi' a cutter spindle having a shoulder formed at one end, an anti-friction bearing mounted on the spindle with its inner race abutting said shoulder and its outer race engaging the column whereby axial thrust on the spindle in one direction will be transmitted directly to the column,l a second anti-friction bearing, a drive gear. and a threaded collar mounted on said spindle in the order named and in spaced relation to the mst-named bearing, said second bearing projecting into the bore of the front wall, means within said bore having operative engagement with said column and the outer race of said second bearing for im'- parting a thrust through saidV second bearing, gear, collar and spindle to effect a preloading of said bearings and additional anti-friction bearings mounted in the bore of the rear column for supporting the other endof the spindle.

5. In a milling machine, a column having front and rear walls in which are formed axially aligned bores, a cutter spindle having mountedv thereon a first and second series of elements, each series including an anti-friction bearing.- a gear and a collar in abutting relation, said bearings projecting into the respective bores of the front and rear walls whereby the gears are positioned closely adjacent the faces of said walls, an additional anti-friction bearing mounted on the spindle in interposed relation between a shoulder on said spindle and a shoulder in the front end of the bore in the front wall, and means within thebore of the front wall forexerting a preloading pressure on the bearing in said bore and thereby nxing the axial position of said spindle.

6. In a milling machine, a column having front and Arear walls v ln which are formed axially aligned bores, a cutter spindle having mounted thereon a first and second series of elements, each series including an anti-friction bearing, a gear and a collar in abutting relation, Asaid bearings projecting into the respective bores of the front and rear walls whereby the gears are positioned closely adjacent the faces of said walls, an additional anti-friction bearing mounted on the spindle in interposed relation between a shoulder on said spindle dand a shoulder in the front end of the bore in the front wall, and means within the bore of the front wall for exerting a preloading pressure on the bearing in said bore and thereby xing the axial position`of said spindle, said means including a collar having a threaded relation with said column, gear teeth formed on the periphery of said collar and a rotatable worm journaled in said column in intermeshing relation with said teeth for imparting rotation to the collar.

posed of front and rear walls, the combination of means for supporting aspindle in the column including a pair of anti-friction bearings fixed on the spindle and mounted in the front wall, the inner race of one of said bearings engaging a gaging a fixed reference surface on said column for determining the axial position of the spindle, means interposed between the bearings and within the wall of the column for exerting a preloading pressure on the outer race of the other bearing, and abutment means carried by the spindle and engaging the inner race of said other bearing whereby the preloading pressure will be transmitted to the spindle through said abutment means so that said last-named inner race may be fixed on the' spindle without provision for relative movement under the 4preloading pressure.

BESTER F. NENNINGER.

'1. In a milling machine having a column comlshoulder on said spindle and the outer race en- 

